Audi Nixes A2 Electric Car, Resumes R8 e-tron Research

Market uncertainties and costs considered reason for termination of the project, while research has resumed on R8 e-tron electric super car program, though production plans remain in limbo.

Published: 07-Jan-2013

Audi has canned plans to build a production version of its Audi A2 electric car concept car from 2011, according to highly-placed company sources. Inspired by the original aluminium spaceframe A2, the new model was scheduled to go into production in 2015 as both a conventional plug-in hybrid and as a pure EV.

Audi sources told Autocar that “lessons learnt from the new A2 project” would be included in future Audi models, but that plans for the aluminium-framed production model had been dropped. Had it been launched, the new A2 would have been a direct competitor for BMW’s upcoming BMW i3.

The A2 concept used a ‘sandwich floor’ construction, similar to the original Mercedes A-class, which would have been used to store the lithium-ion battery pack. A 114bhp electric motor drove the front wheels and Audi promised a 125-mile range from the battery pack after a four-hour recharge.

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